Scoring targets for enjoyable and catching groups offside, Hansi Flick’s new-look Barcelona is proving to be a handful for his or her opponents this season.
Though the juggernaut has slowed down in latest weeks after an unimaginable October, defeating the likes of Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid in the identical week and taking the remainder of the smaller fodder to the cleaners, the assumption within the system stays profound.
And numerous the assumption within the effectivity of the Barcelona machine is right down to the excellence of 1 man holding it collectively, Marc Casado.
His rise to prominence within the crew, changing into an undisputed starter and securing a spot in Flick’s gala XI has supplied Barcelona with the Sergio Busquets-esque affect and skillset that the membership cried out for ever because the latter’s departure.
Casado is a participant and profile to be glad about as this ascension didn’t come straightforward, nor – as can be identified – was it assured solely slightly greater than 5 months in the past.
Delayed arrival
Marc Casado is fulfilling the promise of changing Sergio Busquets. (Picture by David Ramos/Getty Photos)
Casado is cule by and thru. Because the age of 13, he has been part of the La Masia setup and has at all times been thought of to be one of the crucial thrilling midfield prospects produced by the academy.
By 2022, Casado rose up by the ranks, discovered his place within the Barcelona B crew (now Barca Atletic) and rapidly cemented himself as an undisputed starter.
His impression on the reserve crew and the prominence inside caught the attention of coach Xavi Hernandez, who handed him his debut that 12 months within the Champions League and referred to as up the teen to coach with the primary crew for the next 2023/24 season.
It was a season of uncertainty for Barcelona who had parted methods with their captain and ever-reliable Sergio Busquets and his stop-gap alternative in Oriol Romeu merely was not lower out for a similar accountability on the highest degree.
Because it got here to cross, Xavi’s Barcelona, with out the metal and defensive acumen of their nice quantity 5 appeared unable to deal with transitions or the opposition’s attacking swerve, and the teen appeared to be a really perfect answer to place an finish to the rot.
Subsequently, it solely appeared to be a matter of time earlier than Casado received his shot on the base of midfield.
Nonetheless, Xavi seemed the opposite method and fielded Andreas Christensen because the pivot and Casado continued to be neglected and under-appreciated on the membership. Whereas he efficiently made it into the matchday squads as a result of accidents, he was confined to warming the bench.
Credit score to the previous coach, that transfer did pay dividends, however not lengthy after it as soon as once more proved to be a stop-gap and a change that left the followers perplexed about his hesitance in the direction of enjoying a longtime defensive midfielder in Casado.
On the flip facet, Casado proved to be pivotal for Barca Atletic, even donning the captain’s armband for the season. All of the extra motive to be confused about Xavi’s resolution to not name upon the participant extra regularly.
Finally, Xavi’s unsurprising renewed resolve to remain on the membership after deciding to go away earlier within the season and his deployment of Casado as absolutely the final resort, permitting him a mixed whole of 35 minutes throughout your entire season over 4 video games, meant Casado had begun to check his future outdoors of Barcelona.
Together with his contract set to run out in June 2024, he had one foot out the exit door and Casado was on the verge of becoming a member of a listing of very gifted gamers who left the membership looking for common first-team minutes elsewhere.
Till Hansi Flick got here alongside.
The balancing act
Marc Casado may have left Barcelona. (Picture by JOSE JORDAN/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
If Xavi acknowledged his potential, then Flick unleashed Casado by his thought of soccer and in his picture.
After a irritating interval with Xavi on the helm, Casado was about to be launched by Barcelona.
However the departing boss’ German alternative noticed his expertise, potential and talent to deal with the calls for of a no.6 in his system and promoted him to the primary crew alongside his namesake, Marc Bernal.
Initially, Flick most well-liked Bernal’s athleticism to Casado’s aggression and used him as an alternative to the 17-year-old expertise from the youth ranks.
Nonetheless, Bernal’s unlucky ACL damage three video games into the season meant Casado may lastly get his likelihood to make the pivot spot his personal.
And boy did he seize that likelihood and a few extra.
Fielded in a double-pivot in Flick’s 4-2-3-1 system, Casado shields the backline whereas his midfield compatriot Pedri is allowed to scour the sector and open up passing lanes as he needs to wield the ball.
It’s the safety out and in of possession that’s supplied by the 21-year-old La Masia graduate that has enabled Barcelona to assault with ridiculous incisions and defend with unimaginable depth.
Casado can also be a wonderful reader of the sport with aggressive defensive traits and a quite proactive strategy to his recreation in possession.
His anticipation of looming hazard and foiling the counter-offensive by the opposition, all whereas being dependable in possession along with his press resistance, good passing and motion and unimaginable passing vary, makes him one of the crucial full midfield profiles in Europe.
His stats again it up too, with 5 assists delivered to his forwards and a top-ranker in defensive stats, racking up the depend of duels received – averaging nearly 4 profitable duels per recreation with a 60% completion fee – Casado is benefiting from his probabilities.
All whereas sustaining his versatility, able to filling in at right-back as he has completed a number of instances for the youth crew. Merely put, there’s completely nothing Marc Casado can’t do.
It should even be famous how quintessential he’s to the setup already along with his position within the facet, safely at par by way of significance with the likes of Lamine Yamal and Pedri.
Casado’s absence from the lineup is felt and there’s a stark distinction between a Barcelona with and with out him.
One would solely have to take a look at final week’s torpid show and laboured defensive efficiency within the 1-2 defeat towards Las Palmas at residence.
With out Casado searching for the crew and marshalling the play, the league leaders seemed out of kinds in each division, highlighting the significance of his presence to close down assaults and flow into possession with goal.
To not point out, the unimaginable chemistry he has developed with Pedri and Dani Olmo in midfield due to their complimentary profiles is essential to creating the facet tick.
All in all, an assuring affect in a chaos-inducing Barcelona crew.
Reflection
Marc Casado is rising from power to power. (Picture by Alex Caparros/Getty Photos)
Judging by his meteoric impression, it’s secure to say Casado is the tonic of steadiness that Barcelona wanted final season and one that permits Flick ball to movement in all its glory.
His constant performances have additionally earned him a cap with the Spanish Nationwide Workforce this season and with Rodri out injured, Casado could be held in rivalry to be a mainstay for Barcelona and Spain for years to come back.
A typical issue to the possibly all-conquering Barcelona crew and one of the crucial aggressive offensive groups on the planet, each the gamers and the followers are seeing a homegrown ‘Joshua Kimmich’, as Casado is jokingly in comparison with, pull the strings from one of the crucial troublesome positions to play in soccer.
A realization have to be felt. A realization that troublesome questions had been requested after the departure of Sergio Busquets, however as followers have discovered, Marc Casado was the reply all alongside.
The post Marc Casado: Barcelona’s subsequent nice pivot first appeared on Foot & Soccer.
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Author : footsoccer
Publish date : 2024-12-11 18:17:04
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